This invention relates to the housing of controls on rotational steering devices such as steering wheels.
Perhaps the best-known hand control is the xe2x80x98cruise controlxe2x80x99 device, which is usually operated by a lever mounted on the steering column. This device controls the throttle in such manner that it strives to maintain the speed of the vehicle at the same vehicular speed that is measured at the instant of actuation of the cruise control device. In some cases, the device may also incorporate controls for deceleration or acceleration of the vehicle. Cruise control devices are nice to have, but they do carry the disadvantage of requiring the driver to move a hand off the steering wheel, and furthermore they usually cause the driver""s eyes to glance away from the road.
Of the various patents that place controls on the steering wheel pad, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,743 to Gillbrand (1991) is noteworthy. It places controls a few centimeters below one thumb. These controls regulate the throttle, operate the cruise control, and perform upward and downward gear shifting. However, this invention does not include a braking control. The thumb must reach towards and find the controls before actuating them, and therefore this invention is slow to operate. The driver may even need to look down to find the controls, forcing the driver to take his or her eye off the road. Finally, the controls are unacceptably exposed to accidental actuation by the careless movement of arms, hands and fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,018 to Hsin-Min (1983) discloses a brake control function that is operated by moving the steering wheel up or down. However, this device is awkward to operate, requiring full arm movement. Furthermore it would be difficult to simultaneously turn the wheel to steer, while at the same time pushing the wheel down to initiate braking.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,487 to Misinchuk (1976) discloses a manual brake control located on the spoke of the steering wheel near the rim, in position to be operated by the right thumb. However, this device places the braking control well below the recommended xe2x80x9c2 o""clockxe2x80x9d position for the right hand. Furthermore the control is not operated by a simple contraction of the thumb. Most drivers would not keep their thumbs over the brake control at all times, because that would be uncomfortable for them. Rather, some time would be required for driver to extend a thumb to the braking control, find it by either feeling it or looking down for it, and then push it to actuate the brakes. Therefore this invention is awkward to operate, and too slow to be suitable for emergency braking.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,932 to Onodera (2002), also described in U.S. patent application Publication xe2x80x9cUS 2001/0054326 A1xe2x80x9d by Onodera, actually places controls on the steering wheel rim, at the normal position of the hands when driving (often called the xe2x80x9c10-o""clock-2-o""clockxe2x80x9d position.) However these controls are dial-type controls that are designed to control audio system functions. No allowance is made for a brake control, and there is no assurance that the thumb will maintain its position over the controls as the wheel is being turned. Furthermore, these controls are exposed to the open front side of the steering wheel rim, inviting accidental actuation by an unintended motion of the driver""s hand. Therefore it would be unwise to allow these controls to operate any device of a serious nature. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,144 to Parada attempts something similar to Onodera""s invention, and the same criticisms apply.
Various joystick-like control devices have been invented to help handicapped people drive, steer and brake an automobile. U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,416 to Ahnafield (1986) discloses a joystick vehicle control device that is capable of controlling both braking and vehicular speed. Joystick-like devices have some merit, but they are not suitable for mounting on a steering wheel. Many drivers will find the xe2x80x98learning curvexe2x80x99 for these radically different steering devices to be too steep. The risk of driver error would be high because of initial unfamiliarity with these devices, and furthermore the joystick would be exposed to accidental actuation by passengers (most drivers are right-handed, so the joystick would usually be placed towards the center of the car).
Finally, various manual hand-operated levers or turning knobs have been invented and/or marketed before, most of which are normally used only by handicapped people. They can most effectively be found by performing a search for xe2x80x9cparaplegic brak*xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cparaplegic steer*xe2x80x9d on various search engines, such as AltaVista.com. But the devices I have located in this manner are not safely mounted under the thumb, and are slow and cumbersome to operate. Furthermore their exposure on the front of the steering wheel invites accidental actuation, with potentially disastrous consequences.
Accordingly, some objects and advantages of my control housing are:
a) A thumb-operated control (for example, a thumb-operated electronic brake) can be more quickly actuated than a foot-operated device. With a foot brake, a driver first has to take the right foot off the gas pedal, move it leftwards, then push down on the brake pedal. A thumb-operated brake would require only a quick thumb motion. I have read that it takes an average driver one-half second to see the brake lights of the vehicle he is following, move the right foot from the accelerator to the brake, and depress the pedal. At 60 mph, the car has already traveled 44 feet. If this time could be cut in half by my invention, that 22 feet could mean the difference between death and a completely healthy life. Wherever my control housing is used to house a thumb-operated braking device, the frequency and destructiveness of vehicle collisions will be greatly reduced. If my control housing achieves wide circulation, it could save thousands of lives and reduce the seriousness of millions of injuries.
Automotive technologies exist that use computerization and electronics to provide for braking and operate the throttle. Thumb-sized controls can be manufactured that utilize these technologies, and these controls can be placed within my control housing. It is important to stress that my invention is a housing for controls, not a set of electronic components. Therefore these electronic automotive technologies are to be regarded as symbiotic forms, not as competitors to my control housing.
b) Our hands have superior dexterity to our legs and feet, so when using a thumb-operated control there is less chance of making a physical mistake. An example of such a mistake is hitting the brake pedal with the side of the right foot, as it moves leftwards after lifting up off the gas pedal.
Furthermore, when drivers are confronted by a sudden surprising situation that could lead to an accident, some drivers xe2x80x9cfreeze upxe2x80x9d at least momentarily and don""t brake in time. Part of this is the xe2x80x9cdeer in the headlightsxe2x80x9d panic effect; but perhaps also it""s because in the course of our everyday lives we are more accustomed to reacting with our hands than with our feet. In this case, I theorize that it would be easier for the driver""s brain to overcome this freeze-up effect if the task it must perform is to send a simple signal to the thumb to contract, rather than a more complex 3-step foot motion. Therefore, a number of people can be expected to initiate their reaction more quickly when operating a control with their hand.
I recall an incident from my personal life when I was a young man 17 years of age. Two people suddenly appeared in front of my car, and I was so surprised that my foot momentarily hit the gas pedal rather than hitting the brake. I think I was instinctively initiating the braking sequence, without first taking my foot off the gas pedal. Fortunately nobody was hurt. If thumb-actuated brakes are used, this type of situation can be avoided.
c) If my control housing is used to house a throttle control, the driver won""t have to keep his or her right foot over the gas pedal, and therefore can drive long distances without experiencing foot fatigue. The driver may still want to keep the right foot over the brake pedal, but even this can be avoided if my control housing also contains a brake control.
Alternatively, fatigue can be eliminated if the brakes are so designed as to be immediately accessible to a foot kept in a restful position. As it stands now, you can""t really keep your foot over the brake pedal because it""s so tiring to maintain that position.
d) This would be as good a time as any to disclose the main disadvantage I see in my invention: it might actually be too easy to operate the brakes. If the brakes can be activated by a simple thumb motion, a sudden stop could occur in an unexpected location such as the middle of a highway.
However, I have guarded against this in my invention in many ways: I have placed the brake control deep within the housing to make it difficult to accidentally actuate with a careless motion; I""ve inserted a control guard to inhibit the thumb from unintentionally actuating the brake control; the control cavity automatically turns away from the driver whenever he releases the thumb control; and the driver can at any time slide a cover over the cavity containing the controls. Furthermore, if the thumb does mistakenly actuate the brakes, the driver can instantly stop the braking action by merely relaxing his or her thumb. And lastly, my invention will still be very useful even if it contains only a throttle control.
e) Paraplegics will be able to operate a vehicle that utilizes my control housing, provided that the steering wheel ratio is calibrated in such a way that the steering wheel never turns so far that the driver has to release my control housing. This is best done with a xe2x80x9cvariable steering ratioxe2x80x9d so that when the car slows down, little motion is required to turn the car. The wheel must turn more slowly at high speed, because if drivers were allowed to turn the car with little motion then, there would be an unacceptable risk of accidents.
f) My control housing is shaped so as to maintain the circular shape of the steering wheel""s rim, which means the driver can turn the steering wheel with normal comfort.
g) My control housing will be immediately accessible to the driver for close to 99% of the time that the vehicle is being driven, even when the steering device is being moderately rotated by the hands. Only in the course of a sharp turn will it become temporarily inaccessible.
h) My control housing is normally located in the xe2x80x9c2 o""clock positionxe2x80x9d of the steering wheel. This encourages drivers to maintain the normal xe2x80x9c10 o""clock-2 o""clockxe2x80x9d driving position, helping to ensure driver readiness.
i) When my control housing is used in conjunction with electronic xe2x80x9cdrive-by-wirexe2x80x9d systems, and a thumb-operated control is used to actuate braking, the throttle can be programmed to be immediately cut whenever the brakes are actuated, and this will ensure faster braking.
j) My control housing can be made in a modular fashion: it can be removed from the steering device and replaced with a normal steering wheel section, or it can be replaced with a more advanced control housing.
k) A thumb-controlled brake would be a good backup system in case a foot slips off the brake pedal, or the brake pedal somehow malfunctions.
l) Because of all of the above reasons, driving will become a more enjoyable experience.
Further objects and advantages of my control housing will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.